To the Editor:

As a resident of 42 Main Street, I walk past the Town House frequently, admire it as a fine piece of Victorian architecture, and appreciate the way it functions as a nerve center for town life.  Therefore, I would recommend that it be restored and that the town turn down the proposal to build a new Town House on Route 6.

The difference in cost is not enough, in my opinion, to be a decisive factor.  More important is the way the Town House serves the community, drawing citizens together at the heart of Marion.  To preserve the outer shell of the building while transforming its inside into condos would be to destroy a vital part of the community.

Marion's historic character is constantly threatened by tearing down old houses or gutting them.  By preserving the inner atmosphere as well as the outer beauty of the Town House, we would maintain Marion's heritage and perform a service for future generations.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Darnton